Wiper blade unit with fastening clip

Abstract

A replaceable wiper blade unit to be received within the claws of a windshield wiper blade holder includes a longitudinally hollow backing strip slotted along its bottom for receiving an elastic wiper blade, and having along its opposite sides laterally open channels defined between upper and lower lateral flange, with an especially formed and attached resilient metal clip on an end of the backing strip for fastening it detachably to a set of claws. The clip includes a base portion to underlie an end portion of the strip, two resilient legs extending forwardly from the base portion, each beneath a lower flange, an upturned ridge portion protruding from a forward portion of each leg into a respective channel through an opening in the lower flange, and side structures turned upwardly from opposite side edges of the base portion to provide a finger crimped over and upon each lower flange and a claw abutting finger in each channel. The ridge portion of each leg has a raked backward surface to hold a claw, and the legs have ledge portions along their outer edges for finger engagement to release engaged claws.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a windshield wiper blade unit including a flexible backing strip constituted by a length of a stiff resilient extrusion, said strip having a longitudinal hollow slotted along its bottom for receiving slidably the head and neck portions, respectively, of an elastic wiper blade and having along its opposite sides laterally open channels, each defined by upper and lower lateral flanges thereon, for receiving slidably, confining and bearing pressure from the claws of a pressure-applying wiper blade holder, and a resilient clip secured to one end of said strip for fastening it detachably to a set of said claws, said lower flanges having openings therethrough near said one end and said clip having claw engaging elements that protrude into said channels through said openings, the improvement which comprises said clip being a unitary piece of resilient sheet metal formed to comprise a base portion underlying an end portion of said strip, two resilient legs extending forwardly from said base portion beneath said lower flanges and each having along a forward portion of the leg an upturned ridge portion protruding through one of said openings into the related strip channel for engagement with one of said claws, and side structures turned upwardly from opposite side edges of said base portion and providing oppositely disposed fingers which are crimped over and upon portions of said lower flanges so as to grip said base portion tightly to said strip. 
     
     
       2. A blade unit according to claim 1, each said ridge portion having a forward edge sloped upwardly and backwardly in its said channel, whereby it is readily depressable by relative movement of one of said claws against said edge, and having a backward edge raked at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of said channel to prevent escape of a claw engaged behind said ridge portion. 
     
     
       3. A blade unit according to claim 2, said backward edge extending upwardly from the inner edge of said forward portion of said leg at an acute angle thereto. 
     
     
       4. A blade unit according to claim 1, said legs being prebent upwardly relative to said base portion so that they are constantly biased against said lower flanges. 
     
     
       5. A blade unit according to claim 1, each said ridge portion being turned upwardly along the inner edge of said forward leg portion, each said leg having along its outer edge a ledge portion sloped upwardly and laterally outside the adjacent lower flange for engagement by a person's finger, whereby said legs are depressable by hand to release a set of claws engaged behind said ridge portions. 
     
     
       6. A blade unit according to claim 1, said lower flange portions having notches formed in their edges and said fingers being engaged in said notches to prevent displacement of said clip longitudinally of said strip. 
     
     
       7. A blade unit according to claim 1, said side structures each comprising a protrusion split into two finger portions at least one of which constitutes one of said crimped fingers and one of which protrudes into the related strip channel to limit movement of a claw engaged behind a said ridge portion. 
     
     
       8. A blade unit according to claim 1, said base portion having an upstanding end wall thereon along its backward end edge to overlie ends of said hollow and said channels and limit the position of said clip relative to said one end of said strip. 
     
     
       9. In a windshield wiper blade unit including a flexible backing strip constituted by a length of a stiff resilient extrusion, said strip having a longitudinal hollow slotted along its bottom for receiving slidably the head and neck portions, respectively, of an elastic wiper blade and having along its opposite sides laterally open channels, each defined by upper and lower lateral flanges thereon, for receiving slidably, confining and bearing pressure from the claws of a pressure-applying wiper blade holder, and a resilient clip secured to one end of said strip for fastening it detachably to a set of said claws, said lower flanges having openings therethrough near said one end and said clip having claw engaging elements that protrude into said channels through said openings, the improvement which comprises said clip being a unitary piece of resilient sheet metal formed to comprise a base portion underlying an end portion of said strip, two resilient legs extending forwardly from said base portion beneath said lower flanges and each having along a forward portion of the leg an upturned ridge portion protruding through one of said openings into the related strip channel for engagement with one of said claws, and side structures turned upwardly from opposite side edges of said base portion and each comprising a protrusion split into two finger portions at least one of which is crimped over and upon a portion of said lower flange so as to grip said base portion tightly to said strip and one of which protrudes into the related strip channel to limit movement of a claw engaged behind a said ridge portion, said lower flange portion having a notch formed in its edge and said protrusion being engaged in said notch to prevent displacement of said clip longitudinally of said strip, each said ridge portion having a forward edge sloped upwardly and backwardly in its said channel, whereby it is readily depressable by relative movement of one of said claws against said edge, and having a backward edge raked at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of said channel to prevent escape of a claw engaged behind said ridge portion, said legs being prebent upwardly relative to said base portion so that they are constantly biased against said lower flanges, each said ridge portion being turned upwardly along the inner edge of said forward leg portion, each said leg having along its outer edge a ledge portion sloped upwardly and laterally outside the adjacent lower flange for engagement by a person's finger, whereby said legs are depressable by hand to release a set of claws engaged behind said ridge portions, said base portion having an upstanding end wall thereon along its backward end edge to overlie ends of said hollow and said channels and limit the position of said clip relative to said one end of said strip. 
     
     
       10. A resilient clip adapted to be secured to one end of the backing strip of a windshield wiper blade unit for fastening the blade unit detachably to a set of claws of a pressure-applying wiper blade holder, said backing strip having along its opposite sides laterally open channels each defined by upper and lower lateral flanges thereon, for receiving slidably, confining and bearing pressure from said claws, said lower flanges each having an opening formed therethrough near said one end, said clip being a unitary piece of resilient sheet metal formed to comprise a base portion for underlying an end portion of said strip, two resilient legs to extend forwardly from said base portion beneath said lower flanges and each having along a forward portion thereof an upturned ridge portion to protrude through one of said openings into the related strip channel for engagement with one of said claws, and side structures turned upwardly from opposite side edges of said base portion and providing oppositely disposed fingers to be crimped over and upon portions of said lower flanges so as to grip said base portion tightly to said strip. 
     
     
       11. A resilient clip according to claim 10, each said ridge portion being turned upwardly along the inner edge of said forward leg portion and having a forward edge sloped upwardly and backwardly from said inner edge, whereby the ridge portion is depressable by relative movement of one of said claws against said forward edge, and having a backward edge extending upwardly from said inner edge at an acute angle thereto for preventing escape of a said claw engaged behind the ridge portion. 
     
     
       12. A resilient clip according to claim 11, said legs being prebent upwardly relative to said base portion so that when the latter is gripped to said strip they will be constantly biased against said lower flanges. 
     
     
       13. A resilient clip according to claim 11, each said leg having along its outer edge a ledge portion sloped upwardly and laterally from its plane to lie outside an adjacent lower flange for engagement and displacement by a person's finger to release a claw engaged behind said ridge portion.